After Obtaining Forest Protection, the Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone Reopens

Sierra Leone’s Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, located in the Western Area Peninsula National Park, has reopened to visitors after a five-month closure that protested deforestation and land-grabbing threatening the park’s ecosystem. The sanctuary is renowned for rehabilitating over 120 orphaned and rescued chimpanzees mostly victims of poaching and habitat loss—before releasing them back into the wild through a staged rehabilitation process.

Earlier in 2025, Tacugama shut its gates in a bold act of protest against illegal land-grabbing and unchecked deforestation around the sanctuary’s boundaries, which threatened the critical habitat of the endangered Western chimpanzee. The shutdown drew national attention and placed financial strain on Tacugama, staff, and community programs, but its goal was to compel the government to take decisive action against environmental degradation.

Following months of advocacy and dialogue, the Sierra Leonean government committed to strengthening law enforcement within the park, halting illegal activities, and allowing tree-planting initiatives. On November 1, 2025, Tacugama reopened, marking a new phase in conservation efforts a turning point according to the sanctuary’s management.

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